No life purpose at 30 years old may see quite daunting. Because there might be many expectations on us, we might feel some pressure to have achieved something or figured our life at 30 years old.
30 year olds are still young adults, are and generally still developing their perception of life.
Many areas of life such as relationships, career, health goals are still in the process of development.
It can vary from person to person, but because people are still developing themselves, it can be a challenge to meet certain expectations that can come to those around us.
In this article, well explore why the age of 30 is so important, as well as giving you some direction with practical tips to consider if you haven’t found your purpose yet.
All in all, I’m here to remind you that you come a long way. Everything that has happened until now has value.
Why is 30 An Important Age?
The age of 30 is an important age for all of us, an age that has so many meanings attached to it.
Some people achieve a significant amount at the age of 30.
However, other people may not have achieved a significant amount by that age.
Even though we may try hard to make things happen, life sometimes has its own path it has paved for us. Trusting that is important.
Thirty is an important age because people have certain expectations for us when we reach that age.
We would need to have certain things in place, perhaps a career, marriage, children or other things.
Although cultures may differ, this idea of making it by 30 is quite prevalent.
However, It’s important to understand what this age actually means to you.
I also want to point out that, 30 is really the age we hit peak performance capacity on a mental level.
This excites me because, with this information, were in the best position to build something for ourselves.
How performance can peak at age 30
To support this, I’ve managed to find an interesting statistic in an issue by Laura T. Germine, ScienceDirect on, where cognitive development and ageing meet: face learning ability peaks after age 30.
This simple test goes to show that how our peak performance lies between 30 and 40 years of age.
This is great news, since 30 might actually be the best time in your life to really achieve your dreams.
Even though you might have experience failure earlier, you still have plenty of time to achieve greatness.
The next two decades are more or less the best times.
What does 30 mean to you?
This is actually quote an important question to ask yourself.
A lot of time, we associate the age of 30, with meanings that are influenced by those around us.
However, it’s important to create an individualized meaning towards this age.
Whether you are 30 right now, or reaching the age of 30, ask yourself what it means to you.
Even if you feel you haven’t achieved much, you’ve certainly learnt things and picked up traits up until this point in life.
What you’ve gone through up until this age has shaped you as you are now, which is why it has value.
Everyone is at different places at 30.
One person has an amazing career, another person has an amazing love life, another person might have started a successful business.
The point is everyone is at different points in their life at that age.
One person might be seen as “successful” and another might be seen as “behind”.
You need to know that it doesn’t make a difference, so long as we are focused on our path and tackling the obstacles in life.
Things you should to consider when you can’t find purpose when you’re 30
Expectations.
This is actually one of the biggest things that can really affect our emotional and mental health.
Family and friends would expect us to be at a certain place by a certain age.
I’d also like to point out that, we always like to impress others with our achievements, probably because we seek their approval to some level.
When striving to meet expectations and timelines set for us, we face some disappointment.
Why?, because life is unpredictable and things don’t always go according to plan.
So when we are at age 30 and haven’t met certain expectations, don’t judge yourself too much, because it’s all happening for a higher reason.
In essence, being focused on meeting your goals, but being flexible at the same time.
And remember that, when things fall apart at age 30, it might be a blessing in disguise, because life can have a greater plan for us.
Think about evolution instead of achievement.
I’m sure you’ve heard of the phrase, “focus on the process instead of the product.”
Instead of being so focused on the goal, it sometimes better to for yours to focus on the process.
With this strategy, were better able to come with all the bumps on the road that are inevitable.
Instead of constantly focusing on reaching the peak of the mountain, diverting our focus towards simply enjoying the climb is the best perspective we can do.
What is your definition of success?
The word success, means a lot of things to a lot of people, but what does it mean to you.
It’s important to have our own definition of success.
At the age of 30, you may be required to have achieved a level of success according to certain standards.
These standards might be set by those around you.
By taking on an imposed idea of success even if we meet that by 30, we’ll end up feeling unfulfilled.
This is because we are pursuing something that which is meaningful to us, even if it takes a little longer than age 30.
Self discovery can start at any age.
When people reach 30, its perfectly ok to not know what you really want out of life.
Or you might have been involved in something which you now find to not be very meaningful.
What you’ve done until now is valuable, it has a reason, teach someone.
It’s also perfectly ok if you think you need a career change in the process of self discovery, even at the age of 30, It’s not too late.
To really put this in perspective on how a career shift is possible at really any age, here’s a statistic from Emrald insight on the topic of mid-career change: The ingredients for success.
Those successful at a career change at age 30
[wpcharts type=”doughnutchart” bgcolor=”red,green,yellow,blue,pink,” min=”0″ legend=”true” titles=”Teens ,20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60+” values=”0.7,0.7,13.0,16.4,6.2,0.0″]This can tell us that the highest age groups that look for careers changes, normally revolve around ages 30 and 40.
However, you might be thinking that, what if I might not be successful in a career change. I can certainly empathize with that.
So to put you at an ease, here’s another statistics from the same source.
[wpcharts type=”horizontalbarchart” bgcolor=”red:gray:yellow,blue:gray:yellow,random:gray:yellow,purple:gray:yellow” min=”0″ legend=”true” titles=”30’s Successful at career change, 40’s Successful at career change, 30’s Unsuccessful at career change, 40’s Unsuccessful at career change” values=”13.0,16.4, 6.3,6.3″]Look to others to find encouragement.
Often times, we might look at ourselves and feel rather behind when we compare ourselves to others. However, when we look closer, we often see that even the most successful people, actually didn’t make it until much later.
This can give us realization that even after 30, there is most definitely hope to fulfil your dreams.
It’s just a matter of sticking with a strong vision and a purport that you can easily follow through with.
I also mention, look to others, because there are people who are currently at a place similar to where you would like to be. If we take the time to really model their success, it can teach us that:
- What action they take to get to where they are?
- If it’s possible for them, it’s possible for you. Especially if they came from a similar position.
It’s always better to speak to that individual to really see how they created that outcome.
If they aren’t unreachable, they might have documented their process online or elsewhere, like a book.
I also want to note that, when you get to where you want to be, be sure to leave a trail and guide others.
There is always someone out there who can find values from your past and how you overcome various challenges to reach your goal.
Some more commonly questions on the age of 30
Certainly not. People are still figuring themselves out in some way. Because we’re so individual, each person’s time frames can vary. It’s important not to compare ourselves with others and what they “achieve” by the age of 30.
Generally, once we have found something we are good at and willing to pursue, we are more motivated to build a career. If by 30 you don’t have a career, it’s nothing to worry about depending on your individual situation.
There really is nothing worse that having a career at 30 but being unfulfilled by it, it is always better to take your time and find what resonates and motivates you. This leads to a fulfilling, stable career throughout life.
It can really depend from person to person. Our intellect and perception really develops as we get older and have more life experience.
As a result of this, we are better able to make decisions about life. We’re more realistic about what we’re capable of and where we would like to head in life.
Although it’s not set in stone that life will get better, we are in a better mental state and experientially able to make better decisions. Through this, we can take life in a better, fulfilling and happier direction.
This can actually be an exciting period. Even though you’re 30, it does in no way mean that you have less potential than anyone younger or even older.
This mainly comes down to getting some clarity around where you like to head in life.
You could ask yourself question like:
– Where do I see myself in five years?
– What are my biggest strengths and skills?
– How can I monetize my skills and knowledge today?
– Am I emotionally and mentally able and ready to make large goals in my life?
– This can really help you get clear on starting your life at the age of 30.
It’s important to understand that there is always room to fulfil your potential. We just need some positive encouragement.
Conclusion
So this was an interest post to write, the age of 30 can be huge for a lot of people. With these simple tips, I hope it helps you shift your perspective.
In this post we explored
- How important the age of 30 is.
- What it means to you.
- How performance can peak at age 30.
- Tips to consider on finding purpose at age 30.
When i get another idea, ill be sure to update this article.
Till then, id love any feedback, because it enables me to understand what works and what doesn’t.
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